How India Should Deal With World:- PAKISTAN , An Enemy or Our Little Brother Who Needs Our Support

The above links are of my articles which were published in expressindia in the aftermath of bomb blasts in Mumbai's local trains and Srinagar in July 2006. These links and comments made on articles are very relevant for my present blog as I am holding on to certain beliefs related to Pakistan. Till the formation of the new government in Pakistan recently and the events behind it, I was thinking of Pakistan as an enemy to the idea of free India. As history of past 60 years tells me that a happy and prosperous Pakistan can never think of a Happy India. If generals there were weak at certain times they talked peace, only to strike on us when they have gained enough strength for doing so. But present condition is different and keeping that difference in my mind I will try to formulate a policy on how India should deal with its neighbour Pakistan.

I remember the famous quote of AtalJi that as a country we do not have freedom to change our neighbors. As an engineer I know that when we go for creation of a new design we have some constraints and we design our products by keeping those constraints in our mind. Pakistan is going to be our neighbor till the end of the earth and the solution and policy should be made by keeping that in mind. I dont think that at least for coming 50 years there would be a talk of unification of the India with Burma, Bangladesh and Pakistan. But I will not close that option as time is the only thing which will tell us about that. So I would strictly focus on present situation in Pakistan and India for my solution.

The basis of creation of Pakistan, as you all know, was hatred among two major religions of South Asia. That hatred remained the sole support of survival for any politician or Army General of Pakistan until now. Whenever politicians in Pakistan wanted to distract peoples attention from government's failure, they stoked hatred against India. In India its not possible to emulate by any politician and there are few important differences behind that. First, to a major extent we in India are some what peaceful in nature, as peaceful coexistence with differences is part of our civilizational ethos. Second major thing is, in India we have so much divide and internal difference on so many issues that its not possible for any politician to win elections on the basis of hatred against Pakistan. But its easy in Pakistan as majority is Sunni Muslims and they can do anything to destroy Kafirs in India. Pakistan's politicians made really good use of it till now. They told their people that we as Muslims ruled predominantly Hindu India for so long and in future too this thing is possible. They promised their citizens the golden period of Mughal rule, conveniently forgetting that its 21st century and not some 1200 AD. They told their population that start of that golden period is from Kashmir as its the only Muslim majority state and then every other state of India will break off with a little push. Their population too, without even realizing the consequences, supported their misadventures.

The real and only political force of Pakistan was its military. Well it is still relevant and major thing. But its power is not that much stronger after Nawaz and Zardari decided to come together. I think as long as politicians in Pakistan and everywhere else think of their people's benefit first and then anything else, it would be a beginning of a ideal world. But sadly that's not the case so lets see how long these two politicians and sworn enemies of past can keep each others company.

There is a sense of lost pride in Pakistani Army as it lost as many as 4 direct wars with Kafir India, so they thought of creating a Bhasmasur (A Devil who got a boon by Lord Shiva by which he could burn off anybody by keeping his hand on theirs head. That devil got fascinated by beauty of Devi Parvati and thought of using the boon against Shiva himself. Later with help of lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva was able to get rid of Bhasmasur) in the form of terrorists. Only to realize now that terrorists and their bombs/Bullets dont distinguish between an Indian and a Pakistani. They kill all. Pakistani Army Generals, all powerful ISI and to an extent their politicians and citizens thought of bleeding India to death by using terrorists. Terrorists attacked and killed many indiscriminately all over India in form of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Harkat-Ul-Muzahidin, SIMI, Jamat-i-Islami, Al-Badr, ULFA, Naxalites, NSCN and many like them. Pakistan happily armed them so that they can carry out their nefarious designs. They are still doing it but not with the old intensity. Main reason for this is, the terrorists now, are all busy in using those weapons against Pakistanis and we in India, for the time being hear less of it.

I always had and still have the view that the Pakistan and its citizens should go through what we have gone through in India on daily basis and only then they will be able to understand what they are doing to their fellow human beings. Just see how true my guess was, now if you read any Pakistani news paper it feels like you are reading an Indian one but, of a year ago. I always read Pakistani news paper and thats why I know. You will find many news of terrorists and bomb blasts all over Pakistan. You will find angry reaction of the common citizens as we used to have in India. Now you see since you have got increase in terrorist activities in Pakistan, India is living a larger peaceful life. Terrorists or Bhasmasur have got their new playground in Pakistan and we are off their radar for now. Our home grown terrorist groups dont have that much strength to carry out bigger blasts as the brain behind major ghastly acts came from Pakistan. Its a guilty pleasure and I am happy that there are less frequent bomb blasts and wide spread killings in India due to terrorist activities. Its a practical thought and while dealing with such activities you have to use your brain, not heart.

Earlier I was of the view that we should try to break Pakistan into 4 separate countries by the name of Balochistan, Sindh, NWFP and Pakistani Punjab. They can change the names later to whatever they like, but as of now Pakistan is deeply divided among these four geographical regions. In Pakistan, majority in Army and other government agencies is from Pakistani Punjab. Because of this there is a favorable tilt in allocation of national resources to Pakistani Punjab. Sindh and Punjab fight for waters of Indus river, Balochistan and others fight for natural gas , NWFP is more Pashtun than Pakistani and they are more comfortable with Afganistan. It was an golden opportunity of sort for Indian think tank and the real chance of paying Pakistan in its own coin. We just had to be over there as catalysts for starting the fire and enjoy the sufferings as they enjoy ours. But for a long term thats not a sustainable solution as violence although sometimes necessary is not good in larger human interest. I believe that the continuous violence in Pakistan for past one year has changed mindset of the larger portion of the citizens there and now they also want to just get rid of all the violence and live in peace. I think they have now learned to live contently and scrapped the idea of coming of golden period. As every person on earth would be happy with peaceful present than coming of Golden Future.

I am an Indian and my civilization ethos doesn't allow me to think destruction of my fellow human beings. Now its the right time to solve all the problems with Pakistan. Pakistan has to shed its obsession with Kashmir and destruction of India and adjust to the fact that India has advanced much ahead in economic prosperity. Pakistan should give up its claim on Kashmir and settle the dispute for once and all. Pakistanis should learn from history that terrorism and fanaticism is not going to give them anything and they will lose goodwill of all educated people of India. A terrorist is a terrorist. They are product of hatred and autocracy. They want to have their way always. If they dont get it then they will not hesitate in destroying even those who nurtured them. Thats what happening in Pakistan now. All Pakistanis should understand that for India its not possible to give up Kashmir as its the only Muslims majority state and if it at all goes away then it would be a boost for all secessionist groups by different names. If religion will become a breaking point then there is a danger of every other Muslim majority district to ask for Independence from India.

I think no one in India wants to bully Pakistan. The whole India including RSS has accepted the partition as sad reality. I too think that in present situation Pakistan needs our support like some little brother who went wrong. Right now I dont think that we should see Pakistan as our enemy. But the practical mind says that its the right time to strike and break it up so that they fight among themselves and we remain happily ever after. But heart says that like normal human being Pakistanis now will cut umbilical cord of terrorism and make our south Asia or greater India a peaceful heaven.

So what should be our main policy for Pakistan based on present circumstances? I think we should promote democracy for time being and should keep our eyes open for future opportunity. My optimism for now is based on the fact that ordinary Pakistani has never gone through anything like present circumstances. This situation has helped them in understanding evils of terrorism. As well as its new generation on both sides so that past baggage is not present. I can just hope for the best but with open eyes. We have given it 60 years so lets just wait for 4-5 years more. We should see in that time that if even with changed Pakistani minds its not going anywhere than more steps should be taken for breaking up of Pakistan. As its the way where we can have full Kashmir and peace. I hope the situation doesnt come to a violent solution but if that becomes a necessity then we should not hesitate to follow the rightful path for ours good. I hope the better sense prevails. May God direct our intelligence in right direction.